manufacturing the packaging

The present invention relates to a packaging for food products and to an apparatus for manufacturing the packaging. In particular, the empty packaging of the present invention has a trapezoidal shape and has a dual opening mechanism for self-consumption and shared consumption of food products, respectively.

From the state of the art many different packagings for food products are known. The state of the art describes in particular packagings having a single opening mechanism, wherein the created opening may be used for both self- consumption and shared consumption of food products contained in the packaging.

An apparatus for manufacturing packagings of several shapes is for example known from GB 2 271 753 A.

A specific example of the state of the art describes a triangular packaging, wherein the triangular shape has an angle of 45°. One edge of the triangle can be opened by a tear strip.

The above-mentioned packagings of the state of the art, which create one opening to be used for both self- consumption and shared consumption of the food products, have in general a problem with hygiene. This is due to the fact that sharing the food products requires for each person to insert a hand or at least some fingers into the packaging, in order to retrieve the food products. The above-mentioned triangular packaging of the state of the art has further specific disadvantages. In particular, the packaging requires a rather large amount of packaging material, particularly if a large storage capacity for food products is required.

In view of the above-mentioned disadvantages, the present invention intends to improve on the state of the art. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a packaging, which allows self-consumption and shared consumption of food products contained therein in a more hygienic manner. Moreover, the present invention aims to reduce the necessary amount of packaging material, particularly if a large storage capacity of the packaging is required. The present invention also has the object to provide an apparatus, with which the packaging of the present invention can be manufactured in an easy and efficient way. The object of the present invention is solved by the subject-matter of the independent claims. The core idea of the present invention is to provide a packaging of trapezoidal shape having a dual opening mechanism, in order to separate an opening for self-consumption from an opening for shared consumption of the contained food products. Advantageous implementations of the present invention are described in the dependent claims.

In particular, the present invention is directed to a packaging for food products, comprising a front layer and a rear layer of a flexible blank material, wherein the front layer and the rear layer have a trapezoidal shape and are joined together to form four edges and an interior space of the packaging, and two opposing edges are each provided with a tear opening mechanism.

Due to the arrangement of the two tear opening mechanisms, the packaging of the present invention can be opened from two opposing sides. One opening can be created for sharing the food products with other people, and one opening can be created for conveniently retrieving the food products for self-consumption . Thus, the use of the packaging is more hygienic than the state of the art. Furthermore, the trapezoidal shape of the front layer and the rear layer, respectively, and the consequent trapezoidal form of the empty packaging, significantly reduce the required amount of packaging material, typically by 5% to 20%.

The packaging of the present invention may be used with, for example, confectionary products, chocolate products, snacks, cereals, popcorn, toddler snacks, pet food or the like as the food products.

Advantageously, the two opposing edges provided with the tear opening mechanisms have different lengths.

Due to the different lengths of the opposing edges, the two openings, which can be created with the two tear opening mechanisms, may be of different size and are thus ideal for different purposes. In particular, the smaller opening, i.e. the opening created at the shorter edge, can be used well for shared consumption of the food products. The smaller opening is suitable for dispensing or squeezing out the food products, for example, into the hand of another person or into a bowl, cup or cooking vessel. The smaller opening can further prevent that the food products are retrieved by hand from the packaging. To the contrary, the larger opening, i.e. the opening created at the longer edge, allows easy retrieval of the food products by hand, and is therefore well suited and convenient for self-consumption of the food products. Furthermore, the larger opening can also be used to scoop out the food products or for can be used for dipping.

Advantageously, the packaging resembles a cone when opened at the longer edge of the two opposing edges provided with the tear opening mechanisms.

In particular, the opened packaging resembles a cone stump when filled with food products. Due to its shape, the packaging is easy to hold and convenient for self- consumption. Furthermore, the packaging has a shape that is well suited for being displayed, for instance standing in a rack in a display window of a store, without taking up much space .. Advantageously, the two opposing edges provided with the tear opening mechanisms are parallel to each other.

As a consequence the parallel edges of the trapezoidal front layer and rear layer, respectively, are each provided with the tear opening mechanisms. Using the parallel edges facilitates self-consumption, because the packaging is more convenient to hold.

Advantageously, the other two opposing edges of the packaging are inclined to each other by an angle of 10° to 60°, preferably 10° to 45°, preferably 25 to 45°.

The preferred ranges of angles are well suited to separate into a self-consumption opening and an opening for sharing the food products. In particular, precise dispensing or squeezing out of the food product through the smaller opening, and easy retrieval of the food product by hand through the larger opening is possible.

Advantageously, the other two opposing edges of the packaging are inclined in respect to the two opposing edges provided with the tear opening mechanisms by different angles.

Advantageously, the tear opening mechanisms can be opened independently from each other.

The user can thus choose whether he wants to share the food product with others or whether he wants to consume the food product himself. Depending on the user choice, the appropriate tear opening mechanism can be used to open the packaging. Advantageously, the packaging allows squeezing out the food product when opened at the shorter edge of the two opposing edges provided with the tear opening mechanisms.

To this end, the packaging is made of a suitable flexible material, preferably a flexible film. Preferably, the packaging is made of a single layer or multilayer laminate film as the flexible blank material. By means of such a packaging, the food product may be easily provided into a cooking vessel, for example a wok.

Advantageously, the flexible blank material is a single layer or multilayer laminate film based on a combination of plastic and an aluminum foil. Such a single layer or multilayer laminate film is well suited for the manufacturing process of the packaging carried out with an apparatus as described below. Moreover, the single layer or multilayer laminate film can be easily sealed by using a combination of pressure and energy (e.g. heat, impulse energy or ultrasonic) . The single layer or multilayer laminate film is also well suited for being pulled and stretched, in order to provide it with the required tension for producing the packaging with the below-described apparatus. Finally, the single layer or multilayer laminate film is stable, and is preferably air and water impermeable.

Advantageously, the tear opening mechanisms are realized by tearing lines, perforation lines, tearing notches, tear tapes, an oriented flexible blank material, or combinations thereof.

By means of such tear opening mechanisms, the packaging of the present invention can be opened easily and quickly.

The present invention is further directed to an apparatus for manufacturing a packaging for food product according to the above description. The apparatus may manufacture a packaging for confectionary products, chocolate products, snacks, cereals, popcorn, toddler snacks, pet food or the like as the food products.

The apparatus of the present invention is suitable to provide a packaging with all its advantages mentioned above .

In particular, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for manufacturing a packaging for food products, comprising means for providing a continuous flexible blank material sheet, means for folding two lateral edges of the blank material sheet around a forming tube, in order to define a front layer and a rear layer of the packaging, means for forming a flap to join the two lateral edges of the blank material sheet and for forming a flap at the fold of the blank material sheet, in order to define a first pair of opposing edges of the packaging, means for filling food products into an interior space formed between the front layer and the rear layer, means for cutting the continuous blank material sheet and for forming flaps at the cuts, in order to form a second pair of opposing edges of the packaging, wherein the cutting means are adapted to swivel, in order to provide the front layer and the rear layer of the packaging with a trapezoidal shape, characterized in that the apparatus comprises means for providing each of the first pair of opposing edges with a tear opening mechanism. Advantageously, the cutting means includes means for providing each of the first pair of opposing edges with a tear opening mechanism.

Due to the swiveling cutting means and the resulting trapezoidal shape of the front and rear layer of the packaging, a packaging with reduced material demand, typically between 5-20% less, can be manufactured. Due to the means for providing the tear opening mechanisms, a packaging with a dual opening for self-consumption and shared consumption, respectively, can be manufactured efficiently .

Advantageously, the means for providing the tear opening mechanisms is a perforating or cutting knife for providing at least one notch, preferably at least one V-shaped notch, in the second pair of opposing edges.

With the cutting or perforation knife, the tear opening mechanisms can be created efficiently and simple.

Advantageously, the means for providing the continuous blank material sheet are provided with tear tape dispensing means, which are configured to provide the blank material sheet with a tear tape at positions where the blank material sheet is cut by the cutting means. Preferably, two tear tape dispensing units are provided as the tear tape dispensing means, in order to provide the blank material sheet with two tear tapes, one tear tape for each of the two tear opening mechanisms to be created.

The apparatus is thus provided with alternative means for providing a packaging with a dual opening mechanism. The tear dispensing tape is preferably stuck on the blank material at appropriate positions for providing the finished packaging with the tear opening mechanisms.

The present invention is now described in respect to the attached drawings in more detail.

Fig. 1 shows in (a) a packaging of the present invention opened for self-consumption of the food products. Fig. 1 shows in (b) a packaging of the present invention opened for shared consumption of the food products.

Fig. 2 shows in (a) a packaging of the present invention opened for shared consumption of the food products. Fig. 2 shows in (b) a packaging of the present invention opened for self-consumption of the food products. Fig. 3 shows in (a) how the packaging of the present invention can be opened for self-consumption of the food products. Fig. 3 shows in (b) how the packaging of the present invention can be opened for shared consumption of the food products.

Fig. 4 shows schematically an apparatus for producing the packaging of the present invention.

Fig. 1 shows a packaging 1 of the present invention. Fig. 1 shows particularly in (a) a situation, where the packaging 1 has been opened for self-consumption of the food products 7 contained therein. The contrary situation is shown in (b) of Fig. 1, where the packaging 1 has been opened for sharing the food products 7 contained within the packaging 1. The food products 7 are, for example, confectionary products, chocolate products, snacks, cereals, popcorn, toddler snacks, pet food or the like.

The packaging 1 of the present invention is of trapezoidal form when it is not filled with food products 2, i.e. when it is flat. When it is filled with food products the packaging resembles a cone stump (due to bulging out caused from within by the food products 7) . As shown in more detail in Fig. 2, the packaging 1 of the present invention comprises a front layer 2 and a rear layer 3, wherein both layers have a trapezoidal shape, preferably an identical trapezoidal shape. The front layer 2 and the rear layer 3 are joined together at the four edges 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d of the trapezoids, respectively, thus forming four edges of the packaging 1. Preferably, a flap is formed at each edge 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d. The packaging 1 is preferably sealed at each edge 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d. Between the front layer 2 and the rear layer 3 is formed an interior space 5, in which the food products 7 may be contained . As shown in the figs. 1 and 2, the packaging 1 can be opened at two opposing edges. Preferably, the two opposing parallel edges 4a and 4c of the trapezoidal shape of the front layer 2 and the rear layer 3, respectively, are the edges intended to be opened. Therefore, preferably these parallel edges 4a and 4c are each provided each with a tear opening mechanism 6a and 6b (here designed as a perforation or weakened tearing line) . However, it is also possible to provide the other two edges with tear opening mechanisms. The tear opening mechanisms 6a and 6b can, for example, be realized by a perforation line, a tearing line, a notch, a tear tape or the like. The tear opening mechanisms 6a and 6b may also be realized by an oriented flexible blank material used for the packaging 1. Such an oriented blank material is configured to tear in a controlled direction, thus enabling controlled tear opening mechanism of the packaging 1. Preferably, when the tearing mechanisms 6a and/or 6b are operated by a user, a flap created at the respective edge 4a and/or 4c is torn at least partly away.

Fig. 1 and 2 shows that the two edges 4a and 4c, which are preferably provided with the tear opening mechanisms 6a and 6b, respectively, are of different length. In other words, an opening created at the longer edge 4a by operating the tear opening mechanism 6a will preferably be larger than an opening created at the shorter edge 4c by operating the tear opening mechanism 6b. The larger opening at the edge 4a is well suited for self-consumption of the food products, because the food products 7 can be easily taken out of the packaging 1 by hand. The smaller opening at the edge 4c is well-suited for shared consumption of the food products, because the food products 7 may be squeezed out, shaken out, or dispensed. Thus, it is not necessary and preferably even impossible to insert a hand or fingers into the packaging 1 through the smaller opening. Thereby, the packaging provides improved hygiene. The other two edges 4b and 4d of the trapezoidal shapes of the front layer 2 and rear layer 3, which are preferably not provided with a tear opening mechanism, are preferably inclined to each other by an angle of 10° - 60°, more preferably 10° - 45°, further more preferably 25 - 45°, most preferably 35° - 40°. In respect to the preferably parallel edges 4a and 4c, which are provided with the tear opening mechanisms 6a and 6b, the other edges 4b and 4d are preferably inclined by the same angle, but can also be inclined by different angles. The angles between the edges 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d, respectively, may be chosen according to the intended use of the packaging 1 and the type of the contained food products 7. For example, for food products 7, which are to be shaken out of the packaging 1, certain angles may provide the best convenience of use, whereas for food products 7, which are to be squeezed out, other angles may provide the best convenience.

Fig. 2 shows that when the longer edge 4a of the packaging 1 is torn open (see Fig. 2 (b) ) , the packaging 1 resembles a cone, particularly a cone stump, and can thus be held conveniently in one hand with a large opening at the top for easy self-consumption of the food products 7. Alternatively, the packaging 1 can be opened from the smaller side, and can be used to dispense the food product 7 through the smaller opening for sharing it with other people .

Fig. 3 shows in (a) how the packaging 1 of the present invention may be torn open at the tear opening mechanism 6a (here designed as a notch preferably combined with a tearing line) in order to open the longer edge 4a for self-consumption . Fig. 3 shows further in (b) that shared consumption through the larger opening (left side of Fig. 3) would cause hygienic problems, since many people would grab the food products 7 with their hands. Therefore the present invention provides another opening mechanism for the shared consumption. Fig. 3 shows accordingly in (b) how the packaging is may be opened at the shorter edge 4c (right side of Fig. 3) by the tearing mechanism 6b for sharing the food products 7 with other people. The food products 7 may be conveniently and hygienically dispensed, and preferably prohibit inserting a hand into the packaging 1.

Fig. 4 shows an apparatus 10 for manufacturing the packaging 1 of the present invention described above. The apparatus 10 of the present invention bases on the apparatus described in GB 2 271 753 A, but is suitable to manufacture the packaging 1. The apparatus 10 comprises means 11 for providing a continuous blank material sheet 12. These means 11 can, for instance, be realized by a reel holding frame or the like. The apparatus 10 is preferably a vertical bagging machine, and thus has a vertical (i.e. in respect to its base) (preferably hollow) conical forming tube 14.

The blank material sheet 12 may be guided to the conical forming tube 14 by several rollers or the like, which ensure a required tension of the blank material sheet 12. The apparatus 10 further comprises means 13 for folding the two lateral edges of the blank material sheet 12 around the conical forming tube 14. The folding means 13 can be realized by a collar-like guide as shown in fig. 4.

After (or while) the blank material sheet 12 is folded, it is pulled downwards around the outside of the conical forming tube 14. Then first vertical sealing means 16, which are preferably realized as a pair of sealing jaws, comes close to the folded blank material 12, in order to join the two lateral edges together, and preferably to form flaps. One flap is preferably formed at the joined lateral edges of the folded blank material sheet 12, thereby forming two overlaying layers of blank material sheet 12, wherein one will later define the front layer 2 and the other the rear layer 3 of the packaging 1. The flap at the joined edges will later define the edge 4a of the packaging 1. The first vertical sealing means 16 can, for instance, bond the folded blank material sheet 12, and form sealed flaps by melting the seam edges together. By joining the two lateral edges together, the folded blank material sheet 12 is provided with a tubular form defined by the two overlaying layers wrapping around the forming tube .

Second vertical sealing means 15 preferably form simultaneously another vertical seal. Also the second vertical sealing means 15 may be realized as a pair of sealing jaws. Preferably, the second vertical sealing means 15 form a sealed flap at the fold of the two overlaying layers of blank material sheet 12, thereby forming later the edge 4c of the packaging 1, which is opposite and parallel to the edge 4a. Thus, as shown in Fig. 4, preferably two sealed flaps will define in the finished packaging 1 the opposing parallel edges 4a and 4c. After the two flaps are formed and sealed, the blank material sheet 12 is further pulled down along the conical forming tube 14, and the actual bagging process starts. Therefore, the apparatus 10 has means 17 for filling food products 7 into an interior space 5 formed between the front layer 2 and the rear layer 3 of the blank material sheet 12. For example, the food products 7 can be inserted into a hollow conical tube 14 by means of a funnel as filling means 17, and can thereby be filled into the interior space 5.

The apparatus 10 is further provided with cutting means 18 for cutting the continuous blank material sheet 12, and for forming further flaps at each cut. The cutting means 18 are preferably horizontal cutting and sealing jaws, which are adapted to swivel on a central axis in an alternating motion in respect to the rest of the apparatus 10, in order to cut the folded blank material sheet 12 into trapezoidal front and rear layers 2 and 3. The cutting means 18 can preferably turn at any angle between 0 and 45°, preferably radially and in either direction. The cutting means 18 are preferably able to cut out any trapezoidal shape within the preferred angles from the folded blank material sheet 12. However, the cutting means 18 are also able to cut out rectangular shapes.

In particular, the cutting means 18 firstly create a first cut and a corresponding seal and/or flap at the first cut. Secondly, a pre-weighed quantity of the food products 7 is dropped through the funnel 17 and the forming tube 14, respectively, into the interior space 5 formed by the folded blank material sheet 12. Thirdly, after the food products 7 have been filled into the interior space 5, the cutting means 18 create a second cut and a corresponding flap and/or seal at the second cut, and thus close off the packaging 1. The cutting means 18 continue to swivel during the second cutting operation, in order to create the trapezoidal shapes mentioned above. That means, the cutting and/or flap forming operation of the cutting means 18 creates the second pair of preferably not parallel opposing edges 4b and 4d of the packaging 1.

For manufacturing the packaging 1 of the present invention, the apparatus 10 of the present invention is characterized in that it includes means for providing each of the first pair of opposing edges 4a and 4c with a tear opening mechanism 6a and 6b. To this end, the cutting means 18 may be equipped with a perforating and/or cutting knife as the means 19, in order to create, for instance, pre-shaped notches on the packaging 1 as shown in Fig. 4. The notches can be used to easily tear open the packaging 1 along the vertical sealing direction. In this way, the first pair of opposing edges 4a and 4c may be provided with tear opening mechanisms 6a and 6b, respectively. By pre-shaping such notches 6a and 6b in the vicinity of both sides 4a and 4c of the packaging 1, a longer edge 4a and a shorter edge 4c may later be easily opened, in order to create a larger and a smaller opening, respectively. As described above, the dual opening feature is well suited for separating self-consumption from shared consumption of the food products 7.

The dual opening feature of the packaging 1 can also be achieved in other ways. For example, a tear tape can be included on the two opposing edges 4a and 4c of the packaging 1, so that the packaging 1 can be torn open from either side to create the small and/or large opening, respectively. Therefore, the apparatus 10 may be equipped with a tear tape dispensing unit on the reel holding frame on the back of the apparatus 10. The tear tape dispensing unit is preferably controlled to stick a tear tape on the blank material sheet 12 at appropriate opening positions. The apparatus 10 may also be equipped with two tear tape dispensing units for sticking two separate tear tapes at different positions on the blank material. The two tear tapes then define the two tear opening mechanisms 6a and 6b in the finished packaging 1. Alternatively, a control oriented blank material sheet 12 may be used, in order to facilitate tearing in one distinguished direction. This approach does not require any specific unit on the apparatus 10. However, a blank material sheet 12 needs to be supplied, which tears in a controlled direction. By proper selection of the orientation of the blank material sheet 12 and its insertion direction into the apparatus 10, the opposing edges 4a and 4c can be provided with tear opening mechanisms 6a and 6b, respectively.

Alternatively, the blank material sheet 12 can be scored to facilitate directional tearing. For example, the scoring may be achieved by mechanical and/or laser treatment of the blank material sheet 12. The apparatus 10 can therefore be provided with a mechanical and/or laser scoring mechanism, in order to score the blank material sheet 12, in order to later allow the easy tearing of the edges 4a and 4c of the packaging 1. Alternatively, a pre- scored blank material sheet 12 may also be used. In summary, the present invention provides a packaging 1 having a trapezoidal shape and an apparatus 10 to produce such a packaging 1. The packaging 1 can be opened at two opposite edges, preferably at the parallel edges 4a and 4c, and thus has a dual opening mechanism. Preferably, a larger opening may be created, which is usable for self- consumption of food products 7 contained in the packaging 1. Preferably, another smaller opening may also be created, which is usable for shared consumption of the food products 7 contained in the packaging 1. The packaging 1 of the present invention is thereby more hygienic in use, particularly when sharing the food products 7. Further, the packaging 1 has the advantages that it requires less packaging material.